When should I start looking for my field placement site?
The process actually began when you declared Social Work as your major however; the process officially starts in the spring of the junior year.

What is the process?
The process of securing a field site has several key aspects, 1) you must be in good standing, 2) you must have fully petitioned and been accepted into the department, 3) you must have completed your application, resume and signed the manual signature page and turned that into the field director. For the detailed step-by-step process see that tab under students.

Do I have to go on 3 interviews?
Yes, it is very important that you do all the activities listed on the process, for example, shadowing and interviewing at 3 sites. This is very important because students often think they know where they want to go and then change their mind after they visit the agency or meet the Field Instructor. Or, they think they have settled on a site and go on their last interview and end up selecting that site. If you don't have anything to compare a site to, how will you know that it is the best place for you.

I like all the places I interviewed at, how do I decide where to go?
More often than not students have several great options, thus, once you have completed your three interviews, you will meet with the Director of Field Education for your individual appointment to discuss your options and make a decision. What many students don't realize is that there are several things to consider before you make a decision. For example, the culture of the agency, the range of opportunities, clicking with the field instructor, the location- being on the bus line, the hours- if you need flexibility, and lastly the knowledge of the field director regarding the site and students past experiences.

This seems like it is very time consuming, how will I fit this into my schedule?
It is important to recognize that this is critical part of your academic experience and a place that you will spend over 400 hours at, thus it is important that you put the necessary time into the process to ensure the best decision. That said, the majority of the placement process activities will occur in the context of the Professional Communication Skills for Field Education course, thus you will receive academic credit.

Once I have made my decision, what do I do to confirm?
Once you have met with the Director of Field Education and have selected your first choice, contact that agency and let them know that you have selected them as your first choice. Ask if they are ready to make a decision and if they have selected you. If so, schedule a time to visit and obtain the confirmation paperwork. Now that you know you have a site, contact the other sites you interviewed with and let them know that you have selected another site. It is important to thank them and always have a professional ending. Once the paperwork is completed hand that in to the Field Director and draft your confirmation letter. The FD will review the paperwork, contact the site and confirm. Once you are confirmed the FD will contact you and let you know and you will then send your confirmation letter and e-mail a copy to the FD.